The Castillo del Buen Amor is located in the village of Topas, reached after taking exit 322 of the La Plata dual carriageway. It is situated in the midst of a meadow lined with holm oaks, cork oaks, pines and almond trees, beside the Cañedo streams and with no buildings in sight to awake the traveller from his dream world.

Popular legend assures that the fortress was christened, back in the 15th century, as “del Buen Amor” (of Good Love) when it became the property of the Archbishop of Santiago, Alonso de Fonseca, and his lover, María de Ulloa. However, recent studies have discovered that this first hypothesis is not at all correct: the bishop of Cuenca, Avila and Osma, of the same name, was the inhabitant of this romantic dwelling. Of course, together with his lover, Teresa de las Cuevas and the four children from the relation.

A castle turned into a hotel 

The castle, declared historic-artistic monument, has invented itself as a hotel, where you can live a fantastic experience. It has 41 immense rooms, with enormous beds and decoration with evident medieval inspiration. But comfort has replaced austerity. The double baths, the shower cabins and satellite television contrast with the stone of the arcades and vaults. One particular curiosity is that the castle restaurant can be found in the old dungeons.

Evidently, peace and silence reign in all rooms, but your break does not have to turn into a spiritual retreat. The Castillo del Buen Amor offers guided tours to a ranch breeding bulls for bullfighting right in charro  (the name for people from Salamanca) countryside, horse rides, hiking…

Salamanca, world heritage site 

Just 20 kilometres from Salamanca, you cannot miss the chance to visit this world heritage city. We recommend taking your time to stroll through its streets, admiring the historic buildings and be captivated by the university atmosphere. The city offers great culinary alternatives: Chez Víctor  (Awarded one Repsol Sun) (tel.: 923 213 123), where they prepare a great duck picadillo (minced meat); Casa Vallejo (Recommended by Repsol Guide) (tel.: 923 280 421), where stewed morcilla (black pudding) awaits you; or Casa Paca, specialising in T-bone steak and their famous stew.

The castle is also a good starting point for visiting the nearby towns of Alba de Tormes, Ciudad Rodrigo or Toro. Another option is to discover the Sierra de Béjar mountains and travel to Guijuelo, the ham capital. Thanks to the mountains' microclimate and traditional curing methods, the acorn ham in Guijuelo has become a luxury foodstuff with its own designation of origin (tel.: 923 581 514). We highly recommend visiting centro de jamones y embutidos ibéricos 7 Bellotas (ham and cold meat centre) .